The Sunday Magazine for February 23, 2025
This week on The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay:
The third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war approaches during a dramatic reset in U.S. -Russia relations
In his new book Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, the former director for European affairs on the National Security Council and a key witness in the first impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump examines how U.S. foreign policy has historically catered to Russian interests – and how this approach has led to the current moment in the conflict.
Is your attention span really shrinking in the digital age?
Distraction has been called the defining 'cognitive crisis' of the day. But Marion Thain, the founder of the UK's Centre for Attention Studies says humanity has a long history of worrying about attention spans. Don't beat yourself for struggling to read a novel in the TikTok era, she says. But do pay attention to what you pay attention to.
Pope Francis - a Papacy like no other
Catholics the world over, are reflecting on the life and papacy of Pope Francis, who is critically ill in hospital. Among them - Michael Higgins, papal commentator and author of 'The Jesuit Disruptor: a Personal Portrait of Pope Francis'. He tells us why this papacy differed from others and what Pope Francis meant, when he described the church as a field hospital.
Mother of murdered journalist reveals what she learned by meeting his ISIS killer
When Diane Foley meets the ISIS man who kept her son in 21 months of brutal captivity before beheading him, her family opposes the meeting. Diane Foley and bestselling author Colum McCann speak with Chattopadhyay about the life and death of James Foley and the importance of listening to people you hate and who hate you.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ukraine says Russia launched the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the war
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched almost 500 drones at Ukraine in the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the three-year war, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, as the Kremlin presses its summer offensive amid direct peace talks that have yet to deliver progress on stopping the fighting. Despite the difficulties in reaching a ceasefire, Russia and Ukraine swapped another batch of prisoners of war Monday. In addition to the 479 drones, 20 missiles of various types were fired at different parts of Ukraine from Sunday to Monday, according to the air force, which said the barrage targeted mainly central and western areas. Ukraine's air force said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 277 drones and 19 missiles, claiming only 10 drones or missiles hit their targets. Officials said one person was injured. It was not possible to independently verify the claims. A recent escalation in aerial attacks has coincided with a renewed Russian battlefield push along eastern and northeastern parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Sunday that in some of those areas, 'the situation is very difficult.' He provided no details. Ukraine is short-handed on the front line against its bigger enemy and needs more military support from its Western partners, especially air defenses. But uncertainty about the U.S. policy on the war has fueled doubts about how much help Kyiv can count on. Ukraine has produced some stunning counter-punches, however. Its June 1 drone attack on distant Russian air bases was unprecedented in its scope and sophistication. Russia intensifies its attacks The Ukrainian General Staff said special operations forces struck two Russian fighter jets stationed at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region located about 650 kilometers (about 400 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border. The statement did not say how the planes were hit and there was no immediate comment on the claim from Russian authorities. Some Russian war bloggers said there was no damage to the warplanes. Russian officials have said the recent intensified assaults are part of a series of retaliatory strikes for Ukraine's drone attack on air bases that were hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers. A strike on a Ukrainian air base in Dubno, in the western Rivne region, was one such response, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday. Two recent rounds of direct peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul have yielded no significant breakthroughs beyond pledges to swap prisoners as well as thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he will keep fighting until his conditions are met. Russia and Ukraine exchange more POWs The exchange of hundreds of soldiers and civilians has been a small sign of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to agree on a ceasefire. More prisoners were swapped Monday in a staggered process taking place over the coming days, Zelenskyy and the Russian Defense Ministry said, although neither side said how many. Those who were swapped included wounded soldiers, as well as those under 25, Zelenskyy said. 'The process is quite complicated, there are many sensitive details, negotiations continue virtually every day,' he added. In the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, dozens of anxious relatives gathered outside a hospital and formed a human corridor to see whether their loved ones were among those freed. Many held up photos of sons, husbands and brothers in hopes that someone might recognize them and offer any news. One by one, the returning soldiers passed silently through the corridor, their expressions a mixture of joy and exhaustion. Many in the crowd hadn't received official word on their loved ones for months, and some of them for years. etiana Lytvyn, 38, of Chernihiv, was among those waiting. She wasn't looking for one person, but two — her father and a cousin, both of whom went missing last year. 'The war might end,' she added, 'but for those of us with family still missing — the war will never be over until they come home.' Lytvyn's cousin, 21-year-old Mykola Dmytruk, disappeared while his wife was pregnant. 'He has a daughter now,' she said. 'She's 5 months old.' Russia and Ukraine have disagreed over the transfer of the bodies of soldiers killed in action. The Russian Defense Ministry alleged Ukraine failed to pick up the bodies of its fallen soldiers that Russia made available for collection over the weekend. But Zelenskyy claimed that Moscow hadn't sent to Kyiv the names of more than 1,000 Ukrainians whose bodies are in Russian-controlled territories as had been agreed. He accused Russian authorities of playing 'dirty' games. Even so, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the swap is expected to go ahead, although he said there were no specific arrangements so far for the transfer. Ukraine's intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said the exchange of bodies will begin this week. Long-range drone attacks continue Russia has repeatedly targeted civilian areas of Ukraine with Shahed drones during the war, as happened on Sunday night. The attacks have killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. Russia says it only attacks military targets. Ukraine has developed long-range drones that continue to strike deep inside Russia. Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down 49 Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Two drones hit a plant specializing in electronic warfare equipment in the Chuvashia region, located more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) east of Moscow, local officials reported. ___ Arhirova contributed from the Chernihiv region. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Ukraine says Russia launched the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the war
Published Jun 09, 2025 • 3 minute read In this photo, taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, June 9, 2025, a Russian T-90 tank fires towards a Ukrainian position on an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) AP KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched almost 500 drones at Ukraine in the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the three-year war, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, as the Kremlin presses its summer offensive amid direct peace talks that have yet to deliver progress on stopping the fighting. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account As well as 479 drones, 20 missiles of various types were fired at different parts of Ukraine, according to the air force, which said the barrage targeted mainly central and western areas of Ukraine. Ukraine's air force said its air defences destroyed 277 drones and 19 missiles in mid-flight on Sunday night, claiming that only 10 drones or missiles hit their target. Officials said one person was injured. It was not possible to independently verify the claims. A recent escalation in aerial attacks has coincided with a renewed Russian battlefield push on eastern and northeastern parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front line. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Sunday that in some of those areas 'the situation is very difficult.' He provided no details. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ukraine is short-handed on the front line against its bigger enemy and needs further military support from its Western partners, especially air defences. But uncertainty about the U.S. policy on the war has fueled doubts about how much help Kyiv can count on. Ukraine has produced some stunning counter-punches, however. Its recent drone attack on distant Russian air bases was unprecedented in its scope and sophistication. Russia intensifies its attacks The Ukrainian General Staff claimed Monday that special operations forces struck two Russian fighter jets stationed at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region located some 650 kilometres northeast from the Ukrainian border. The statement did not say how the planes were hit. There was no immediate comment on the claim from the Russian authorities. Some Russian war bloggers said there was no damage to the warplanes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Russian officials have said the recent intensified assaults are part of a series of retaliations for Ukraine's strike on air bases that were hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers. A strike on a Ukrainian air base in Dubno, in the western Rivne region, was one such response, the Russian Defence Ministry said Monday. Two recent rounds of direct peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul have yielded no significant breakthroughs beyond pledges to swap prisoners as well as thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he will keep fighting until his conditions are met. Russia and Ukraine exchange more prisoners of war The exchange of hundreds of soldiers and civilians has been a small sign of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to agree on a ceasefire. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. More prisoners were swapped Monday in a staggered process taking place over coming days, Zelenskyy and the Russian Defense Ministry announced, though neither side said how many. Those swapped included wounded and seriously wounded soldiers, as well as those under 25, Zelenskyy said. 'The process is quite complicated, there are many sensitive details, negotiations continue virtually every day,' he added. But the two sides have disagreed over the transfer of soldiers killed in action. The Russian Defense Ministry alleged that Ukraine over the weekend failed to pick up the bodies of its fallen soldiers that Russia made available for collection. But Zelenskyy claimed that Moscow hadn't sent to Kyiv the names of more than 1,000 Ukrainians whose bodies are currently in Russian-controlled territories, as had been agreed. He accused Russian authorities of playing 'dirty' games. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Even so, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday the swap is expected to go ahead, although he said there were no specific arrangements so far for the transfer. Ukraine's intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said the exchange of soldiers' bodies will begin this week. Long-range drone attacks continue Russia has repeatedly targeted civilian areas of Ukraine with Shahed drones during the war, as happened on Sunday night. The attacks have killed more that 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. Russia says it only attacks military targets. Ukraine has developed long-range drones that continue to strike deep inside Russia. Russia's Ministry of Defense said Monday that it shot down 49 Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions. Two drones hit a plant specializing in electronic warfare equipment in the Chuvashia region, located more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) east of Moscow, local officials reported. Alexander Gusev, head of Russia's Voronezh region, said that 25 drones had been shot down there overnight, damaging a gas pipeline and sparking a small fire. World Sunshine Girls Golf Editorial Cartoons Canada
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
Russia launches nearly 500 drones into Ukraine, as sides exchange more prisoners
Social Sharing Russia hit Ukraine overnight with its largest drone attack since the start of the war, causing some damage at a military airfield in the west of the country, the Ukrainian air force said on Monday. It was the latest Russian onslaught since Ukraine destroyed a number of bombers in drone attacks on air bases deep inside Russia earlier this month. Ukraine's air defence units downed 460 out of 479 drones and 19 out of 20 missiles launched by the Russian forces, the air force said in a statement. A military airfield close to Ukraine's western border was the key target, air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said. "The main strike was targeting … one of the operational air fields. There are some hits," Ihnat told Ukrainian TV, without elaborating on the damage. The airfield is in the city of Dubno, about 60 kilometres from Ukraine's border with Poland, Ukrainian regional authorities said. Polish and allied aircraft were activated early on Monday to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish armed forces said. Prisoner swaps 'complex,' Zelenskyy says Russia's Defence Ministry said the attack was another strike in response to Kyiv's attacks on Russian bases this month, adding that "all designated facilities" had been hit. The more than three-year-old war in Ukraine has been escalating as peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow have so far failed to yield any significant results. The two sides remain deeply divided on how to end the war. Ukraine is pushing for an unconditional ceasefire as a first step, something Russia has repeatedly rejected. They did confirm that the latest exchange of prisoners of war was taking place on Monday. It involves PoWs under the age of 25 and others who had been severely wounded, the start of what could become the biggest swap of the war so far. The exchange was the result of direct talks in Istanbul on June 2, which resulted in an agreement to conduct an exchange of at least 1,200 POWs on each side and to repatriate thousands of bodies of those killed in the war. "Today's exchange has begun. It will be done in several stages in the coming days," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app. "The process is quite complex, with many sensitive details, and negotiations continue virtually every day. We count on the full implementation of the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting in Istanbul. We are doing everything possible to bring back every single person." WATCH l Ex-Ukraine economic minister discusses latest war developments: Ukrainian drone strikes 'changing the landscape' of the war: former Ukrainian minister 19 hours ago Duration 6:28 Neither side said how many prisoners had been swapped on Monday, but the Russian Defence Ministry said in its own statement that the same number of military personnel had been exchanged on each side. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said on the weekend that a first list of 640 POWs had been handed to Ukraine. The Russian military said its returned servicemen were now in Belarus, a close Russian ally, where they were getting psychological and medical assistance before being transferred to Russia for further care. Russia eyes 'buffer zone' on the ground Russia also said on Monday that its forces had taken control of more territory in Ukraine's east-central region of Dnipropetrovsk, where the Kremlin said fighting was partly aimed at creating a "buffer zone." State media quoted the Defence Ministry as saying that Russian troops "continued to advance into the depths of the enemy's defence" and had increased the area of territory in Dnipropetrovsk they controlled. Asked if Russia was trying to create a buffer zone by pushing into Dnipropetrovsk, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "Without a doubt that is part of it." The Russian offensive there is notable because Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five regions of Ukraine — including Crimea and four areas in the south and east of the country — that Russia has previously claimed as part of its own territory. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said the purpose of a Russian thrust into Dnipropetrovsk could be to cut off Ukraine's lines of communication and supply to its troops in the Donetsk region, further east.
